After Summit Meeting
by Bellantara
Summary: Keith is nearly killed by Lotor when he rescues Allura in the forest, and decides to take the next step with Lance.


A/N: I wrote this story with UsagiRyu, because neither of us was happy with how easily Keith recovered in Summit Meeting, and didn't think Golion's version was much better. They belong to WEP/Toei, not us. We're just borrowing them.

Lance McClain had seen a lot in 23 years. An abusive father, magical robot lions, a princess out of a fairy tale, and the ugliest monsters ever to walk the galaxy. All that paled, however, next to the sight of his lover and commander lying in the dirt in a pool of his own blood, his chest sliced open from left shoulder to right hip. "Hang on, koibito," he whispered, kneeling and holding the gash closed with his hands. "We'll get you to Gorma; don't you dare leave us."

Two hours later he was in the infirmary waiting room with his teammates plus Sven and Romelle. He was pacing and trying to keep his temper; Allura had told them how Keith had been hurt, and it took every bit of discipline he possessed not to shake her senseless. _Every fucking time she dreams about her parents, she takes off like a goddamn jackrabbit_, he thought, furious. _We've told her and _told_ her; Lotor's just waiting for that kind of opportunity. But Her Royal Highness doesn't damn well listen. So Keith has to go and rescue her-again-and this time it could cost him his life._ He looked down at himself. From neck to knees he was covered in Keith's blood, and his gloves were purple from the amount they had absorbed. He grimaced and caught Sven's attention. _Be right back, _he signed. _Need to clean up. _The Norwegian nodded, and Lance slipped out of the room.

Allura met him at the door when he returned. "Lance, please talk to me," she begged. "You haven't said anything since you came to the forest; are you mad at me?"

Lance's temper snapped. "What the hell do you think, Princess? Keith is hurt bad, dying for all we know, and all because you're too stupid to take 30 seconds to wake up from a fucking dream! How many times have we told you to stay in the damn Castle when you have one of those? But no, you don't listen to any damn body. I just hope Keith doesn't pay for your stupidity with his damn life." He turned away, partly because he wanted to hit her, and partly to hide the tears in his eyes.

Allura gasped and ran out of the waiting room, sobbing. Sven looked at Romelle, who nodded and followed her cousin. Sven put his hand on Lance's shoulder. "Take it easy, Lance."

Lance looked down. "He was dying when I found him, Sven. I don't know if I was in time to save him. I can't live without him!"

"Ja, I know. But dat is no excuse for de tings you said to Allura. She loves him as much as you do, if you don't know it. Dis is tearing her up too." Sven's face softened as he saw the tears on Lance's face, and the normally undemonstrative Norwegian pulled his teammate into an embrace. "He vill be all right," he whispered. "Keit is strong; he vill pull trough dis."

Lance closed his eyes and relaxed into Sven's strength. "God, there was so much blood." He shivered. "He has to be all right, he just has to be!"

Doctor Gorma appeared at the waiting room door and cleared his throat. "The commander tolerated surgery remarkably well. We repaired the cut to his left lung, pinned his broken ribs, and stitched the wound up." He stepped aside as Allura and Romelle came back in.

"Can we see him?" Lance asked hoarsely.

"If you are quick. He needs his rest." Gorma looked at Lance. "Commander McClain, you know I do not like asking this. But the commander used our entire supply of whole blood, and I would be a lot happier if he had at least one more unit in him."

"Of course." Lance was already taking his jacket off. He draped it over Allura's shoulders, then knelt in front of her. "Princess, I'm sorry for the things I said earlier. I'm scared to death, and I let my temper get the best of me, but I should never have taken it out on you."

"That's all right, Lance. You were right in what you said, even if you didn't say it too well." Allura reached up and kissed his cheek. "Go now, he needs you."

Lance walked out. As he left the room, a very confused Romelle spoke up. "What does Keith needing blood have to do with Lance? Won't they just give him Synthblood?" 

"No, _elske_, dey can't," Sven answered. "Keit is allergic to Synthblood; it vould kill him even if he veren't as badly hurt as he is. And dey need Lance because he and Keit have de same rare blood type."

Romelle shivered. "Lucky for Keith. What if Lance needs blood, though?"

"It's not a problem," Pidge spoke up. "Lance can take the Synthblood. And he and Keith come in here once a month and bank all the blood Gorma will let them."

Lance followed the nurse into Keith's room. He swore softly at the sight; Keith was as white as the pillow he lay on, a tube down his throat to help him breathe. His left shoulder and entire chest were covered in bandages. "Just sit next to him, Commander," the nurse said quietly. "I'll get the transfusion equipment." Lance sat down and took Keith's hand, careful not to jar him. Keith's eyes flickered open at the movement, agony clear in the obsidian depths. "Easy, koibito, " Lance said softly. "You've got a tube in your throat to help you breathe; Lotor almost cut you in half."

Keith's fingers moved. _Princess safe? _

"Everyone's fine but you," Lance assured him. The nurse came back in and hooked the transfusion equipment up, set a timer, then left. "I think you've had enough of my blood in you now to change your name to McClain, love," Lance joked.

Keith looked at him groggily. _Would like that. Was going to ask you-_he closed his eyes and squeezed Lance's hand as a pain spasm hit him.

Lance went white and swore as he felt the bones in his hand give under Keith's grip. "Easy, easy, Keith! Aw, fuck!" He carefully pried his hand loose and examined it.

Keith was horrified. _So sorry,_ he signed. _OK?_

Lance sighed. "Think you broke it, koibito. Damn, if you're hurting that badly, let them give you something! You aren't going to be flying anytime soon anyway." The timer went off; the nurse came in and disconnected the transfusion equipment. When Lance showed her his already swelling hand, she left and came back with Doctor Gorma. The doctor examined the abused appendage, and directed the nurse to set up an X-ray. Lance stood up to follow the nurse, then leaned over and kissed Keith. "Get some sleep, sweetheart," he said softly, seeing that Keith was fighting to stay awake. "I'll come back in a little while."

Keith nodded,already more than half asleep. _Love you,_ he signed, fingers stumbling over the words.

"Well, it's certainly broken, " Gorma confirmed. "How did you do this, Commander?"

Lance sighed. "I didn't; Keith did. He had a pain spasm and squeezed a little too hard. How much damage did he do?"

Gorma pointed to the X-ray. "He broke three bones in the back of your hand, I'm afraid. You're going to be wearing a cast for a while."

Lance shook his head. "No cast. I can't fly with a cast on my right hand, and there's no one to take my place. Do what you have to, but I have to be able to use it, Doctor."

Gorma argued, but in the end, Lance's will prevailed, and he walked out with his hand in a stiff brace that he could remove if he had to. As he headed back to the waiting room to rejoin his teammates, the castle was shaken by an explosion, sending everyone sprawling. Lance was first to his feet, ignoring the throbbing in his hand. "Princess, we need you in Black. Sven, take Blue. Let's get out there!" The team ran from the room. Lance was about to follow them when a nurse called his name.

"Please, Commander McClain, we need your help with Commander Kogane! He's trying to get out of bed!" Lance swore and ran for Keith's room.

Inside, Keith was struggling against three nurses trying to keep him in bed. To Lance's horror, he had pulled his wound open, and blood soaked his hospital gown. Lance pushed the nurses out of the way and grabbed Keith. "Keith, koibito, listen to me! You have to stay in bed; you're too badly hurt to fight!"

Keith's fingers moved frantically. _Need me, need Voltron. Let me go!_

Lance knelt astride Keith, holding him down carefully. "Listen to me, listen! Sven is flying Blue, Allura's in Black. You've got to relax or you're going to die! Please, please, koibito! Don't make me order Gorma to sedate you!" Lance tried to put all his fear for his love into his eyes, and it apparently worked; Keith suddenly relaxed under his hands. "Good, that's it."He leaned over and kissed Keith's forehead. "Just rest; I'll be back as soon as I can."

Two hours later, Lance wearily stumbled back into Keith's room, cradling his swollen and throbbing right hand. Keith was awake, and the breathing tube had been removed. "Hi," he whispered hoarsely as Lance walked in.

Lance sat down next to him, smoothing Keith's hair with his good hand. "Hey, sweetheart. How you feeling?"

"Lousy," Keith rasped. His eyes lit on Lance's braced right hand. "I did break it, didn't I? Koibito, I'm sorry."

"It's all right, I know you didn't mean to." Lance sighed. "God, just shoot me so I can die in peace."

Keith studied him for a minute, then gingerly slid over in the bed. "Lie down with me before you fall over."

Lance shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you, Keith."

"You won't. Koibito, if **I** can see how exhausted you are, you must be about to collapse. Come on, lie down. Just be careful, ne?"

Lance was too worn out to argue. He carefully lay down on Keith's right side, taking pains to avoid the horrific wound that bisected his lover. With a sigh, he settled his head on Keith's shoulder, and Keith wrapped his arm around him. "I never did ask you what I wanted to ask," Keith said softly. "Lance, I almost died yesterday. It made me stop and think. I don't want to waste any more time." He chuckled, then winced. "I would get on one knee for this, but that's kind of out of the question right now. Lance, will you marry me?"

Lance pushed up and looked at Keith. "Of course I will, just as soon as you're better." He kissed Keith.

Keith shook his head. "I don't want to wait that long; one or both of us could die tomorrow." He lay back and closed his eyes, face stark white against his blue-black hair. "I want to do it as soon as we can."

Lance swallowed, alarmed at the weakness Keith was showing. "All right, let me go get things set up." He got out of bed, wincing at the groan Keith couldn't quite suppress, then left to find Dr. Gorma and Allura. They already knew they would have to have a civil ceremony; the Archbishop of Arus had made it quite clear what his views on same sex marriage were, and Allura had told them she would be proud to marry her two best friends.

Later that afternoon, Keith waited for Lance in the hospital chapel. He was deathly white, but had insisted on dressing and sitting in a wheelchair. Sven had helped him, over Dr. Gorma's protests, and now sat watching him intently. Keith didn't care; nothing existed for him but the door Lance would walk through, not even the searing pain in his chest. _At last,_ he thought. _We should have done this ages ago._ He resettled his katana at his side, then sat up a little straighter as the door opened and Allura walked out with Lance.

For once the team rebel was immaculately turned out, uniform perfect, freshly shaved and trimmed. He walked to Keith's side and dropped to his knees, much to Keith's surprise. "I want to be able to look you in the eyes when I say my vows," Lance explained softly, then grinned. "Damn, we make this look good, koibito!"

Everyone laughed, then Allura cleared her throat. "Are we ready to begin, boys?" The two pilots looked up at her, and she began saying the words that would marry Keith and Lance.

When it came time for vows and a ring, Keith grinned sheepishly. "For once in my life, I'm not prepared. Don't everyone faint at once." He turned to Lance and took his hands, dead serious. "Lance, you are my world. You are the reason I get up in the morning, the reason I continue to fight even when all seems lost. As long as any part of me remains, I will love you." He drew his katana. "I _will _get you a ring, as soon as I get out of this jail. In the meantime," He handed the katana to Lance. "I give you this, as a symbol of my love and fidelity."

Lance swallowed, tears standing in his eyes and beginning to overflow. "I don't know why you love me, Keith. God knows I don't deserve it. But you are my home, my life. As long as any part of me remains, I will love you." He reached inside his tunic and unpinned his pilot's wings, handing them to Keith. "Like your katana, this is all I have left of my grandfather. I give them to you, as a symbol of my love and fidelity."

There wasn't a dry eye anywhere at this point. Allura had to make several attempts before she could manage, "By my authority as ruler of Arus, I proclaim you married. Lance, you may kiss Keith."

Lance grinned and leaned over, planting a surprisingly gentle and chaste kiss on his new husband. "Love you, Keith Akira Kogane."

"I love you too, Lance Charles McClain." Everyone applauded.


End file.
